Rubcrete and Its Applications in Structures Subjected to Impact Loading

This book presents a comprehensive study on development and performance of fibre-reinforced rubcrete, an innovative concrete incorporating pre-treated crumb rubber from waste tyres as partial replacement of natural aggregates. This book highlights the development of rubcrete mixes of varying grades, their fresh, mechanical, and durability properties, and the role of steel and polypropylene fibres in improving toughness and impact resistance. With the growing demand for eco-friendly construction practices, this book addresses the challenges to balance sustainability and structural efficiency by integrating recycled rubber and reinforcing fibres such as steel and polypropylene. Emphasis is placed on cost-to-benefit analysis, energy absorption capacity, and sustainability aspects of this emerging material.

The content systematically incorporates the mechanical properties, fracture characteristics, impact resistance, and durability of rubcrete under different loading and environmental conditions. The content includes experimental and numerical investigations under static and impact loading to demonstrate the effect of crumb rubber and/ or fibre reinforcement on toughness, energy absorption, and strength for improving crack resistance, fracture energy, and long-term performance. This book also includes optimal mix design of rubcrete and explores its structural performance in real-world applications such as prestressed concrete railway sleepers, fencing posts, crash barriers, and kerbs.

By integrating material science, structural engineering, and sustainability, this volume provides unique insights into the use of rubcrete as a viable alternative to conventional concrete. It serves as a valuable reference for researchers, graduate students, and practicing engineers interested in sustainable construction materials, resilient infrastructure, and circular economy approaches in civil engineering.

Dr. Anand Raj is Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. His research lies at the intersection of sustainable construction materials and structural performance, with a particular focus on rubberized concrete, fibre-reinforced composites, and structures subjected to impact loading. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Calicut, India, where his thesis on fibre-reinforced rubcrete was recognised as the Best Thesis in Concrete by the Indian Concrete Institute (Calicut Chapter). Dr. Raj has made pioneering contributions to the development and structural application of rubcrete, a sustainable concrete incorporating crumb rubber from waste tyres. His work has led to three granted Indian patents on innovative rubcrete-based structural components, namely fencing posts, prestressed concrete railway sleepers, and crash barriers. These developments are geared towards advancing sustainable infrastructure and enhancing energy absorption under impact loads.

Dr. Praveen Nagarajan is currently Professor and BIS Chair in the Department of Civil Engineering at the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC), Kerala, India. With over two decades of teaching, research, and consulting experience, he has established himself as a leading scholar in structural engineering, particularly in sustainable construction materials, bridge design, and reinforced and prestressed concrete systems. Dr. Nagarajan had his Civil Engineering education from NIT Calicut and IIT Madras. He was a top-ranking student throughout. After a brief stint as a Bridge Design Engineer at L&T Ramboll, Chennai, he took to academics. Dr. Nagarajan is the author of three widely adopted textbooks: Prestressed Concrete Design (Pearson, 2013), Matrix Methods of Structural Analysis (CRC Press, 2018), and Design of Concrete Bridges (Wiley, 2021). These works reflect his ability to combine theoretical depth with practical insights, making them valuable references for both students and practicing engineers.

Dr. A. P. Shashikala is Professor (Higher Administrative Grade, Retired) in the Department of Civil Engineering at the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC), India. With more than four decades of teaching, research, and professional service, she has made distinguished contributions to structural engineering, offshore structures, and the development of sustainable construction materials. She earned her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in 1996, specialising in ocean engineering. Dr. Shashikala's research spans wave modelling and prediction, floating body dynamics, seismic performance of buildings, multi-body offshore structures, and the development of alternate construction materials.

Dr. Sudha Das is Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC), India. Her teaching, research, and professional practice focus on structural engineering, bridge health assessment, sustainable materials, and the application of soft computing and artificial intelligence to civil infrastructure. She earned her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Durgapur, with her doctoral research centred on fuzzy logic-based condition assessment and ranking of reinforced concrete bridges. Dr. Das has published more than 20 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Her professional achievements include the Suchit Kumar Ghosh Memorial Best Paper Award at the 36th Indian Engineering Congress (2021). Her research contributions include fuzzy logic approaches for bridge condition assessment, multi-criteria decision-making methods for bridge management system, damage detection using infrared thermography, and applications of deep learning for crack identification in concrete structures.